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Umbragen
The Umbragen '''or '''shadow elves are a secretive culture of drow that occupy a realm of Khyber under the Ring of Storms in eastern Xen'drik. History When the dragons devastated Xen'drik and brought the Age of Giants to a close, the ancestors of the Umbragen fled into the depths of Khyber. They persisted under Xen'drik for a long time against many horrible monsters. Eventually they reached their current home, which is within a ruined fortress of the ancient Qabalrin elves under the Ring of Storms. In a desperate struggle to survive, these drow established a spiritual bond with a dark force known as the Umbra. Umbra is a dark remnant left behind by the ancient Qabalrin elves. The Qabalrin resided in the Ring of Storms before their civilization were destroyed by a giant Siberys dragonshard. Ever since the Umbragen have used its power against many dangerous monsters and have gained more power over time as they bound themselves to its magic. However, in 997 YK a daelkyr lord created an army in the depths of Khyber below Xen'drik. The Umbragen have been fighting a losing battle with the aberrant forces of Belashyrra, the Lord of Eyes ever since. The army includes beholders, mind flayers, and other sorts of aberrations. Since the Umbragen see that they are overmatched, they have sent many drow out from underground in order to find a weapon that will turn the tide in their war. Society The Umbragen are an incredibly secretive culture with little contact with outsiders, and few outsiders know anything about them. Umbragen contrarily know very little about the outside world. The Umbragen drow are no longer fully drow following their bonding with the Umbra. The Umbragen believe that all of their people who draw on this shadowy force will be doomed as the dark power consumes their soul and they become increasingly dispassionate. The Umbra bears some resemblance to the Shadow, the Sovereign of Magic and Mayhem of the Dark Six. Umbragen society is split along two paths: The Council of War and the Vault of Shadows. Those of the Council of War seek to prove themselves in battle while those in the Vault of Shadows seek to add arcane might to the Umbragen cause. Rank and promotion is earned through conflict, which in theory sounds chaotic but is a rarely invoked tradition. The Umbragen drow speak a dialect of Elven, and speak Undercommon after their conflict with the aberrations. The Umbragen favored class is warlock, which allows them to call on their bond to the Umbra. Many Umbragen drow are also soulknives. Notable Personalities * Satros: Satros is the leader of the Umbragen drow faction during the events portrayed in the Dragonshard video game. * Silence: Silence is an Umbragen drow assassin who aids Satros in his campaign during the events portrayed in the Dragonshard video game. Notes Keith Baker has suggested on his website that the Umbragen are among the most advanced cultures of drow on Xen'drik. There may still be ancient eldritch machines left over from the Qabalrin civilization of elves within the domain of Khyber that the Umbragen cannot use themselves. Keith Baker has mentioned on the Eberron Discord server that the Umbragen campaign in the Dragonshard video game was was originally longer and included an entity known as the Blood Queen, an ancient Qabalrin vampire the Umbragen would uncover and try to use for their own purpose. References Category:Drow Cultures Category:Creatures found in Khyber Category:Nations of Khyber Category:Worshippers of the Dark Six